Support



Feb. 23 ,1926. 1,514,010

J. WEST surronw Filed Feb. 9. 1932s fjvweutoz Patented Feb. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES JAMES WEST, OF BALSTON SPA, NEW YORK.

SUPPORT.

Application filed February 9, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known tliat 1, James lVnsT, a citizen of the United States, aresident of Balston Spa, in the county of Sara-toga and State of NewYork, have invented a certain new and useful Support, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in supports, trusses and thelike, and more particularly to such devices used for the treatment andsupport of hernia or rupture.

An object of this invention is the provision of such a device which issimple and strong in construction, light and durable as well ascomfortable in use, ventilated and readily cleaned, easily applied andadjusted according to the comfort and condition of i the wearer.

In addition to these as well as other detailed objects and advantage, myinvention provides a device which acts most efficiently and comfortablyto support the hernia without undue pressure and without the use ofbraces, corsets, pressure pads, and the like, whereby there is notendency to enlarge the rupture at all, but the parts are so constructedand arranged as to reinforce the natural muscle support and acts in thesame manner as the wearer would use his hand.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as mayhereinafter appear .my invention consists in the construction,combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and thensought to be defined in the appended claims, ref

erence being made to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof andwhich shows for the purpose of illustrative disclosure a preferredembodiment of my invention, it being expressly understood how ever thatvarious changes may be made in practice within the scope of the claimswithout digressing from my inventive idea.

Figure 1 is a View showing a right side device constructed according tomy invention in use.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the de vice showing the tapes or strapsattached.

Figure 3 is a full sized elevation of the support itself. 7

Figure 4 is a vertical cross section of the same taken on line 4& ofFigure 3.

In the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the supporting device proper,which is in the form of an annulus or ring 2 having a flattened portionor segment 3. This an- Serial No. 617,950.

nulus is preferably circular in cross section. A holding member orbutton l is located centrally in said annulus and is connected theretoby a plurality of radial arms or spokes 5. The holding member or button4 preferably curved or convex on both of its surfaces and the arms orspokes 5 are flexible and resilient and are preferably less in thicknessthan both the annulus 2. and the holding member or button at. As amatter of fact, it is preferable to make the entire member 1 of asuitable flexible and resilient material, such as rubber or the like,whereby it may be molded or pressed in one piece,

and also have the requisite characteristics of strengtln softness,flexibility, and resilience.

In order to properly hold and support the device in position, I providea novel and effective form of suspension, which includes the supportingstrap or tape (3 which is secured to the annulus or ling 2 as at 7adjacent one end of the flattened portion or segment 3 and is adapted toextend upwardly and around the waist of the wearer and to be adj ustablysecured to the annulus or ring 2 substantially diametrically oppositeits permanent point of connection. One form of affording this adjustableconnection is by means of the tape or strap 8 secured to annulus or ring2 as at 9 having a. buckle or catch 10 at one end to adjustably receivethe end portion of the tape or strap 6. By this method of suspension andsupport, the device is pulled in an upward direction from both sides dueto connections 7 and 9, it being understood, that as shown, theflattened portion or segment 3 fits against the inside of the limbbetween the limb and the abdomen, the device as a whole being in aninclined position. Therefore the tape or strap 6 being around the waistand connected thereto at opposite sides the pull is upward and inward atall times, just like the natural action of the hand of the wearer.

An additional holding and positioning medium may be necessary and forthis purpose I provide the tape or strap 11 secured to the annulus 2 atthe other side of the flattened portion 3, this being the lower sidewhen in use. This tape or strap 11 is passed around the upper portion ofthe limb, as

shown, and is adjustably connected to the annulus 2 by buckle or clasp12, which is shown as secured to the oposite end of the tape or strap 8.This part of the suspension operates to hold the device in properposition so that the upward pull of the tape or strap 6 does notdisplace it, and also holds the lower part of the device in against thebody in proper position.

When in use the holding member or button 4 is positioned opposite therupture with the segment 3 of the annulus 2 against the limb and afterproper adjustment the hernia will be supported and the surroundingmuscles reinforced and supported by the ring or annulus 2. Most of thesupporting pressure is taken up by the ring or annulus and onlysutiicient pressure is transmitted to the holding member or button toproperly suport the hernia, this being due to the provision of theflexible and resilient radial arms or spokes 5 which permit a readilyyielding action between the annulus 2 and the button 4, and provide anelastic pressure on the button. The device as a whole assumes a cuppedor concave shape and the annulus presses inwardly and toward the centerwhereby there is a direct tendency at all times to close the rupture.

It is therefore seen that I have provided a device which is efiicientatall times day or night to support the hernia without discomtort orunpleasant sensation, the device being light, durable, soft, pliable,and adjustable, readily cleaned and always ventilated and permitting theaccess of air to the part of the body to which it is applied. It mayalso beused after abdominal operations of various kinds, in maternitycases, and in fact whenever necessary to provide support for the abdomenor any part thereof.

It is to be understood that while I have shown and described a preferredform of suspension, other forms may be used, as well as other methods ofattaching the same, that other suitable materials than those specifiedfor various parts may be used, and that I am not to be restricted toshape, design, and

dimension as shown and described except as limited by the claims.

It is to be noted that while I have referred to segment 3 as flattenedor straight, it is preferably formed on a slight curve so that the loweredge thereof is slightly concave to better fit the parts with which itcomes in contact. While the device illustrated is equipped as a rightside device, it may be changed to a left side device by changing thepoints of attachment of the suspension mediums.

l Vhat I claim is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a support formed of resilient materialsuch as rubber having a single annular member, a central holding memberdisposed within the annular member and or" a slze so as to besubstantially spaced therefrom and a plurality of radial yielding andresilient members connecting said annular member and said holding memberformed in one piece with said members, said yielding and resilientmembers being spaced apart substantial distances and being less inthickness than the other parts of said support.

2. A device of the character described, in-

cluding in combination, a support formed in one piece of yieldingmaterial such as rubber and comprising an annular member, a holdingmember in the form of a button less in diameter than the annular membercentrally located therein, and a plurality of yielding membersconnecting said annular member and said holding member, said yieldingmembers being spaced apart substantial distances and being less inthickness than the other parts of said support and suspension meansconnected to said annular member in the spaces between said yieldingmembers.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my handthis 2nd day of February, 1923. JAMES WEST.

